LIVINGSTON, NJ — Mother’s Day is still a few weeks away, on Sunday, May 8, but if you plan to treat your mother to brunch or dinner out, reservations may fill up quickly in Essex County as the nation approaches the most normal celebration of moms since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Local restaurants have taken a financial hit during the pandemic and could use the business. Some may close so their employees can support their own mothers or be pampered by their children, but here are some options, courtesy OpenTable and Resy. Make sure you put in the correct number of your party and the date.
Common Lot (Special Mother’s Day Brunch), Millburn
If you’re looking for something else, check OpenTable for restaurants in your area taking reservations for Mother’s Day.
Chain Restaurants
Several chain restaurants and other eateries are open for Mother’s Day this year, and some are offering specials.
Below are a few options to get you started, featuring everything from casual to fine dining. As always, it’s advisable to call ahead to make sure the restaurants in your area are participating and to inquire about any COVID-19 restrictions or limitations.
Applebee’s is adding a $10 bonus card to the purchase of a $50 gift card for Mother’s Day and other special occasions, including graduations and Father’s Day.
Bob Evans is featuring brunch meals made with fresh-cut strawberries. Its to-go meals feed up to six people, and they are available for curbside pickup or delivery when customers order online.
Bonefish Grill is open for dine-in and carryout meals on Mother’s Day. Its “Family Bundles” meals include salad, fresh bread and pesto, and house-baked cookies
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar opens early at 11 a.m. on both May 7 and 8 with its Mother’s Day 3-Course Menu featuring a hand-cut filet mignon and pairing of the diner’s choice.
Kona Grill offers a weekend brunch special with deals on mimosas and signature brunch dishes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, including Mother’s Day.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is offering its prix fixe Mother’s Day meal, including a starter, entrée, side and dessert, from May 6-8.
Seasons 52 Fresh Grill | Wine Bar is offering Mother’s Day brunch from 10 a.m. to noon and is making its dinner menu available all day. It is also offering a Mother’s Day Green Box that serves six. Orders must be placed by May 2.
Earlier this week, I caught up with a young man who has dedicated his time to fighting for our rights and our country. His name is Shawn Farash and he’s from Long Island. His comedy career as a Trump impersonator started by accident while bowling with friends. He goes by the name “Captain Deplorable 45“.
He leads a group called “Loud Majority” and is on a mission to help people get their rights back as Americans after the lockdowns and mandates.
The conversation is funny and insightful, and yes, he does the best Trump impression that I’ve heard. As a matter of fact, don’t take my word for it, the former President agrees. Listen to the story here:
We’re happy to have Shawn appear as “Captain Deplorable 45” at our upcoming event “A Seat At The Table.”
This event is a gathering of several hundred parents, patriots, and small business owners from across New Jersey. Perhaps one of the strongest aspects of the nearly sold-out affair is that there are national speakers coming in to help New Jersey dig out from under the corrupt Democratic majority and weak Republican opposition. We are truly building a movement of tens of thousands of concerned citizens ready, willing, and able to fight back.
As I’ve talked about on the air, the victories achieved in 2021 are just a starting point. We saw hundreds of brand new candidates at the local level. Many moms and dads deciding that they simply had to step up and get involved in local government to prevent the assault from the bureaucracy on their families and businesses.
We saw many new faces win election in the state Assembly and Senate. We saw some out-pacing the vote totals at the top of the ticket. Meaning this was a grassroots, ground-up surge of new voters unhappy with the weak, cowardly political class elites at the top of the ticket.
We captured the energy of that local surge with our new advocacy group, the Common Sense Club. We’ve hit FORTY THOUSAND members and are adding 1,500 each week. We learned a lot from the 2021 contest for sure.
The GOP candidate for governor had been running for governor since getting embarrassed in 2017 losing the primary to Chris Christie’s LG, Kim Guadagno. Can you imagine losing to a person tightly associated with the least popular governor in our lifetime? You have to really try to fail that miserable. Fast forward four years and the same guy loses to Murphy despite a groundswell of backlash from parents and business owners. The same backlash that catapulted the GOP nominee in Virginia to victory was not happy with the NJGOP handpicked guy.
Making this story even more disappointing for New Jersey, now stuck with Murphy for the next four years, is the NJGOP is taking a victory lap pretending that close means a win. Don’t buy it. And never forget that the “cabal of corruption” currently leading the NJGOP. Palatucci, Bramnick, Kean, Hugin, and Jack Citarrelli all left you and your families on the battlefield to fend for yourselves while Murphy and the Democrats wrecked our schools, destroyed thousands of small businesses, hurt our kids, and made our communities less safe.
For his part, Jack couldn’t even spend the time to speak on behalf of the Newark firefighters being fired for not taking the jab. He couldn’t even commit to ending the mask mandate for kids! Jack wouldn’t even consider cutting the funding for planned parenthood and returning to the budget level of Chris Christie.
We tried to get through to him and explain that he and the NJGOP were simply ignoring the real crisis impacting our fellow New Jerseyans. We even made it super easy by outlining SIX things that Jack could embrace before the election to earn the confidence of the voters. Jack and his kitchen cabinet of incompetents were more interested in a campaign paycheck than delivering a solution, so they ignored us AND YOU.
The people of New Jersey deserve a lot better. There are more than TWO MILLION unaffiliated voters and ONE MILLION registered Republicans. They are ready for real leadership and real change. They are ready for fighters who will protect our neighborhoods and stand up for families, small businesses, and first responders. Many of these leaders will be joining me at our first annual event taking place on Thursday, April 28 at the Palace in Somerset. Join me there www.asattnj.org
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill’s own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.
LOOK: States With the Most New Small Businesses Per Capita
Every NJ city and town’s municipal tax bill, ranked
A little less than 30 cents of every $1 in property taxes charged in New Jersey support municipal services provided by cities, towns, townships, boroughs and villages. Statewide, the average municipal-only tax bill in 2021 was $2,725, but that varied widely from more than $13,000 in Tavistock to nothing in three townships. In addition to $9.22 billion in municipal purpose taxes, special taxing districts that in some places provide municipal services such as fire protection, garbage collection or economic development levied $323.8 million in 2021.
MANAHAWKIN – A 17-year-old teenager is accused of driving his car into a house in Stafford Saturday night, then fleeing the scene.
According to police, several teens in the car all ran off after the sedan struck the corner of a house on Mermaid Drive in the Ocean Acres section of Manahawkin, causing extensive damage.
No one in the house or the car was injured.
Police tracked down the driver, Christian Capone, at his Beach Haven West home and charged him with numerous motor vehicle offenses.
The incident unfolded on April 23 just after 11:30 p.m. A patrolman was scouring the area when he saw the car that had crashed into the home.
The white Honda Civic was unoccupied. Further investigation revealed the accident happened just moments before the officer’s arrival, and that the car’s occupants fled on foot.
Capone was issued summonses including failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, and failure to report an accident.
He is scheduled to appear in the Stafford Township Municipal Court at a later date and time.
Take a look inside Scarlett Johansson’s longtime New York City penthouse, which she sold for $1.8 million.
LOOK: States With the Most New Small Businesses Per Capita
New Jersey’s new legislative districts for the 2020s
Boundaries for the 40 legislative districts for the Senate and Assembly elections of 2023 through 2029, and perhaps 2031, were approved in a bipartisan vote of the Apportionment Commission on Feb. 18, 2022. The map continues to favor Democrats, though Republicans say it gives them a chance to win the majority.
Once again, Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset counties landed at the top of this year’s ranking of healthiest counties in New Jersey, thanks to access to high-achieving schools, an ample number of doctors and hospitals and their proximity to parks and recreation that encourage an active lifestyle.
But most importantly, these counties are the most affluent in the state. And if the annual healthiest county rankings by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute prove anything, it’s that wealth equals health.
Cumberland, Salem and Camden counties are home to pockets of poverty and higher unemployment rates and have consistently ranked at the bottom of the list.
Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.
Weber’s campaign said the high number was because of the type of assignments like Major Crimes Division, Narcotics, Robbery, Homicide Division and SWAT that put him in more dangerous situations. There were, of course, other cops in those divisions as well.
That is not to say those uses of force were unjustified, even if there were a couple lawsuits, one of which was dismissed and the other settled.
SARGEANT: AVOID THE SLAUGHTER — “What an unvaccinated sergeant who nearly died of covid wants you to know","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/26/nyregion/police-vaccine-nj.html","_id":"00000180-6aaf-d51b-af8d-6ebf2cb60003","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-6aaf-d51b-af8d-6ebf2cb60004","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>What an unvaccinated sergeant who nearly died of covid wants you to know,” by The New York Times’ Tracey Tully: “No one thought Frank Talarico Jr. was going to live … A 47-year-old police sergeant, he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Unconvinced of the vaccine’s merits, he figured he was young and fit enough to handle whatever illness the virus might cause. He was wrong. “If it’s an eye opener for somebody — so be it,” Sergeant Talarico said recently at his home in Pennsauken … ‘If I was vaccinated,’ he said, ‘I have to think I wouldn’t have gotten as sick as I did … for the last two years Covid-19 has been the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers in the United States. When Covid vaccines were first offered in December 2020, law enforcement officers — frontline workers who, like doctors and nurses, are required to interact closely with people in crisis — were prioritized for shots that have since been proven to significantly lower the risk of serious illness and death. But over the next year, as some police unions tried to block vaccine mandates … Retelling the story more than two months later, Sergeant Talarico started to cry again. About half of the 14 officers in his police department, in Merchantville, N.J., have been vaccinated, he said. The department’s chief of police did not return calls. Sergeant Talarico said he had tried to persuade reluctant colleagues to get vaccinated. ‘I say, ‘Just look at me and look what I went through,’ he said.”
NEW JERSEY — The most up-to-date information on coronavirus news impacting New Jersey. You can find additional resources and coverage on our coronavirus page.
CDC report: Unvaccinated kids twice as likely to end up in the hospital with COVID
A new report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is painting a clearer picture of hospitalizations among 5-11-year-olds during the omicron surge at the start of 2022.
The study revealed that unvaccinated 5-11-year-olds were twice as likely to end up in the hospital with COVID-19 as those who were vaccinated. ADVERTISING
Justice Department to appeal order voiding travel mask mandate
The Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judge’s order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs, officials said Wednesday.
The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision handed down by a federal judge in Florida earlier this week.
Travel in NY, NJ: Do I need to wear a mask?
A decision by a federal judge in Florida to throw out a national mask mandate in public transportation across the U.S. created a patchwork of rules Monday that vary by city and mode of transit.
Federal judge voids US mask mandate for planes, other travel
A federal judge in Florida on Monday, April 18, voided the national mask mandate covering airplanes and other public transportation as exceeding the authority of U.S. health officials in the coronavirus pandemic.
FDA approves first COVID-19 breath test for emergency use
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Thursday, April 15, that it had authorized the first test to detect COVID-19 through breath for emergency use.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was extending the order, which was set to expire on April 18, until May 3 to allow more time to study the BA.2 omicron subvariant that is now responsible for the vast majority of cases in the U.S.
Murphy tests positive for COVID
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy tested positive for COVID-19, officials announced on Thursday, March 31. He’s asymptomatic and feeling well, but was set to cancel all events and isolate for five days.
Moderna’s low-dose COVID vaccine works for kids under 6, company says
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers, the company announced on March 23 — and if regulators agree it could mean a chance to finally start vaccinating the littlest kids by summer.
Moderna asks FDA to authorize 4th dose of COVID shot
Drugmaker Moderna asked the Food and Drug Administration on March 17 to authorize a fourth shot of its COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose for all adults.
WHO now tracking hybrid COVID-19 variant: ‘deltacron’
Scientists are learning more about a hybrid variant of COVID-19 that has been detected called “deltacron.” Deltacron was first reported early this year, when it was thought to be a co-infection of the omicron and delta coronavirus variants (meaning people were possibly infected with two variants at once). Now, researchers believe it’s a single, hybrid variant that combines genes from both delta and omicron.
TSA extends mask mandate on planes, public transit
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate on airplanes, buses and other mass transit, according to a U.S. official, but the existing face-covering requirement will be extended through April 18.
NJ drops school mask mandate but not all districts end requirement
As New Jersey health officials continue to report progress in beating back the latest wave of COVID-19 infections, Gov. Phil Murphy on March 7 allowed schools to drop the mask mandate. However, not all school districts across the state opted to drop masking rules.
Gov. Murphy ends Public Health Emergency 2 years after NJ’s first COVID case
On March 4, 2020, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy received word that the state recorded its first case of COVID-19. He recalled the day on Friday, March 4, exactly two years later, during what he said was his last in-person COVID-19 briefing.
What the CDC’s new ‘Community Level’ tool means for your county
Most Americans live in places where healthy people, including students in schools, can safely take a break from wearing masks under new U.S. guidelines released Friday, March 4.
Murphy dropping NJ schools mask mandate
While COVID numbers continue to decline in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy announced an end to the state’s mask mandate for public schools. The governor said students and school staff can go maskless beginning March 7. The statewide mandate has been in effect since the start of the academic year in September.
4th COVID shot: Who will need another booster soon?
As COVID cases caused by the omicron variant finally start to wane in the U.S., is it time to look ahead to the next variant? And will we need another booster shot to protect us from it?
Pfizer asks FDA to allow COVID vaccine for kids under 5
Pfizer on Tuesday, Feb. 1, asked the U.S. to authorize extra-low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5, potentially opening the way for the very youngest Americans to start receiving shots as early as March.
Newark University Hospital gets military aid amid COVID surge
Gov. Murphy: NJ schools could ditch masks before end of academic year
As New Jersey’s COVID numbers start to slowly drop, Gov. Phil Murphy predicted Thursday, Jan. 20 that schools in the Garden State could reach a point before the end of this school year where masks are no longer required.
CDC encourages more Americans to consider N95 masks
U.S. health officials on Friday, Jan. 14, encouraged more Americans to wear the kind of N95 or KN95 masks used by health care workers to slow the spread of COVID-19. Those kinds of masks are considered better at filtering viruses from the air. But they previously were in short supply, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials had said they should be prioritized for health care workers.
Murphy reinstates Public Health Emergency for NJ as COVID spreads rapidly
Gov. Phil Murphy renewed his Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency declarations for the Garden State on Tuesday, Jan. 11. The executive order allows state agencies and departments to use resources to assist in the battle against COVID-19, according to a release from the governor’s office.
NJ COVID surge, pandemic recovery top priorities for Gov. Murphy in 2022
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivered his State of the State address on Tuesday, Jan. 11, as the Garden State continued to grapple with another wave of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
“Our state remains on a war footing against a virus that has now taken on a new form. Omicron is doing its best to stop us in our tracks and push us back. We will not let it,” Murphy said.
FDA shortens Moderna booster wait time to 5 months
The agency announced it amended its emergency use authorization for the Moderna vaccine to allow adults to get a booster dose a month earlier than previously.
Officials, including Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, cited the highly transmissible omicron variant as reasoning for the update.
The booster wait times for those who received the Johnson & Johnson (two months)or the Moderna vaccines (six months), have not changed.
Additionally, the CDC also recommended that moderately or severely immunocompromised children 5 to 11 years old receive an additional, third dose of the Pfizer vaccine 28 days after their second shot.
NJ COVID hospitalizations soar
COVID-19 hospitalizations in New Jersey have blown passed the peak number reported during last winter’s surge, state Health Department data showed on Monday, Jan. 3. There were 4,715 people hospitalized on Sunday, Jan. 2. By comparison, the peak daily number of hospitalizations during last winter’s surge was 3,873.
NJ first lady positive for COVID; Gov. Murphy tests negative
New Jersey’s first lady Tammy Murphy tested positive for COVID-19 on a rapid antigen test, a spokesperson said on Sunday, Jan. 2. Gov. Phil Murphy and the rest of his family tested negative, but will continue to test regularly in the coming days, the spokesperson said.
NJ cities tighten COVID restrictions with mask, vaccine mandates
As COVID cases continue to surge across New Jersey, the cities of Hoboken and Paterson enacted new indoor mask mandates. Meanwhile, Newark geared up for a new vaccine mandate for indoor dining and entertainment venues.
Paterson schools go remote after winter break amid COVID surge
As New Jersey continues to see a startling spike in COVID-19 cases statewide, the Paterson school district announced on Wednesday, Dec. 22, that students will start 2022 remotely. They were initially expected to return to classrooms on Jan. 4, however given the spike in COVID cases, they will learn remotely from Jan. 4 through Jan. 17. School buildings will reopen on Jan. 18.
NJ, NY CityMD locations temporarily close while demand for testing grows
Newark issues indoor mask mandate in public spaces to curb COVID uptick
Folks in Newark will need to mask up before they enter indoor public spaces under an executive order signed on Monday, Dec. 19, by Mayor Ras Baraka. The indoor mask mandate was issued as the state and city continue to see a concerning spike in COVID-19 cases, spurred by the omicron and delta variants.
Biden pledges 500M free COVID-19 tests to counter omicron
According to the company, the currently authorized booster dose increased omicron-neutralizing antibodies approximately 37-fold, compared to pre-boost levels.
Breakthrough COVID infections may create ‘super immunity’
The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 topped 800,000 on Dec. 14, a once-unimaginable figure seen as doubly tragic, given that more than 200,000 of those lives were lost after the vaccine became available last spring.
Additionally, the TSA will extend the requirement to wear a mask on planes, trains, subways and other public transportation hubs including airports and bus terminals through the winter.
Scientists call omicron variant ‘most mutated’ version of virus
There’s one thing we keep hearing from the scientists who’ve gotten a close look at the omicron version of the virus: It’s really mutated. More mutations don’t necessarily make a virus more dangerous, but viruses evolve over time to increase their chance of survival, which can be bad for humans.
First omicron variant case confirmed in NJ, Murphy says
Gov. Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said New Jersey’s first omicron case was confirmed on Friday, Dec. 3, in a fully vaccinated woman who visited New Jersey from Georgia.
Omicron COVID variant identified in California; 1st known US case
The first known case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 was identified in California, the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Dr. Anthony Fauci said the person was a traveler who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22 and tested positive on Nov. 29.
US panel backs first-of-a-kind COVID-19 pill from Merck
The Food and Drug Administration panel voted 13-10 that the antiviral drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, including potential birth defects if used during pregnancy.
How to pronounce the new COVID-19 variant
Omicron, the latest COVID-19 variant of concern designated by the World Health Organization, gets its name from a letter in the Greek alphabet. But unlike the alpha or delta variants before it, omicron might not roll off the tongue so naturally to English speakers.
Rising concerns over omicron variant
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said he expects COVID cases to rise until at least the new year, and he’s asking people to remain vigilant over the holiday season as both New Jersey and New York closely monitor for the first cases of the omicron variant.
Omicron variant prompts new US travel ban on South Africa, other nations
5 things to know about omicron, the new COVID ‘variant of concern’
The announcement of a COVID-19 variant called omicron by scientists in South Africa, where it was first detected, has sent governments and financial markets around the world reeling. Click here to learn more about what experts know about the new “variant of concern.”
What is this new omicron COVID variant in South Africa?
South African scientists have identified a new version of the coronavirus that they say is behind a recent spike in COVID-19 infections in Gauteng, the country’s most populous province. It’s unclear where the new variant actually arose, but it was first detected by scientists in South Africa and has also been seen in travelers to Belgium, Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel.
CDC approves expanding COVID-19 vaccine boosters to all adults
The U.S. on Friday, Nov. 19, opened COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and took the extra step of urging people 50 and older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter surge as coronavirus cases rise even before millions of Americans travel for the holidays.
Pfizer agrees to let other companies make its COVID-19 pill
Pfizer said it would grant a license for the antiviral pill to the Geneva-based Medicines Patent Pool, which would let generic drug companies produce the pill for use in 95 countries, making up about 53% of the world’s population.
Getting a COVID vaccine before the holidays? Here are some key dates to know
Time is running out if you plan to be fully vaccinated against COVID by the holidays. Click here for the deadlines to be fully vaccinated before each holiday.
US lifts nearly 20-month international travel ban
More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the U.S. to close its borders to international travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status.
Bans on travel from specific countries ended on Nov. 8. The U.S. will allow in international travelers, but they must be vaccinated — with a few exceptions.
The U.S. also reopened the land borders with Canada and Mexico for vaccinated people. Most trips from Canada and Mexico to the U.S. are by land rather than air.
US gives final clearance to COVID vaccine for kids 5 to 11
U.S. health officials on Nov. 2 gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a milestone that opens a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign to children as young as 5.
The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 — doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines.
Vaccinated just as likely to spread delta variant within household as unvaccinated: study
People who have received COVID-19 vaccinations are able to spread the delta variant within their household just as easily as unvaccinated individuals, a new study published on Oct. 29, shows.
Child tax credit 2022: What we know so far
As inner-party conflict continues to shave off elements of President Joe Biden’s sweeping domestic policy package, there may be good news for parents. While it’s unclear what the ultimate bill will include, Democrats arrived at a framework Thursday, Oct. 28, that included a one-year extension of the expanded child tax credit.
Moderna says its low-dose COVID shot safe, effective for kids 6 to 11
FDA says Pfizer COVID vaccine looks effective for young kids
Federal health regulators said late Oct. 22, that kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine appear highly effective at preventing symptomatic infections in elementary school children and caused no unexpected safety issues, as the U.S. weighs beginning vaccinations in youngsters.
NJ among top vaccinated states in U.S.
New Jersey is among the top 10 states in the country with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates at 74%. Helping to lead the charge is Paterson, which has a 90% vaccination rate.
COVID vaccine mandate for state workers, teachers begins
Many state employees returned to in-person work on Oct. 18, the same day Gov. Phil Murphy’s requirement for them to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular virus testing went into effect. The vaccine or test mandate also applies to teachers in New Jersey.
New COVID safety guidance for the holidays released by the CDC
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released updated COVID-19 safety guidance for the holiday season on Friday, Oct. 15, including getting vaccinated, wearing a mask indoors if you’re not vaccinated and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces.
Rutgers team tries to understand ‘brain fog’ COVID connection
Dr. William Hu, the Chief of the Division of Cognitive Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, is leading a team trying to figure out what brain fog is and how it’s connected to COVID-19.
FDA endorsement essentially calls for Johnson & Johnson to be 2-shot vaccine
An FDA panel unanimously recommended a Johnson and Johnson booster vaccine on Friday, Oct. 15. The terms of the endorsement essentially call for the J&J COVID-19 vaccine to be a two-dose shot, rather than the one-dose shot for which it’s been known since it first got emergency use authorization last spring.
The panel called for a second shot to be available to people 18 and older, at least two months after the first shot.
FDA panel recommends Moderna booster shot, but the process isn’t over
A panel of medical experts affiliated with the Food and Drug Administration endorsed a COVID vaccine booster from Moderna on Thursday, Oct. 14. The panel recommended a half dose as a booster.
Vice President Kamala Harris visits NJ day care, vaccination site
Vice President Kamala Harris made a stop in New Jersey on Friday, Oct. 8, to discuss the state’s latest vaccination efforts. She visited a day care center to highlight child care provisions in the president’s spending proposal as well as a vaccination site at Essex Community College.
Children will feel impact of pandemic on mental health for years: UNICEF report
UNICEF released a critical report on Friday, Oct. 8, which found that children and young people could feel the impact of the pandemic on their mental health for many years to come.
COVID vaccine for kids: Doctor answers your questions
The Pfizer vaccine for kids could be on the market in about a month after the drug maker filed for FDA authorization Thursday, Oct. 7, for their shot for kids ages 5 to 11.
However, many parents still have questions about the children’s COVID vaccine. Dr. Sallie Permar, the head of pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, joined the PIX11 Morning News on Friday, Oct. 8, to share more information and answer some of the biggest questions.
Pfizer’s request to OK shots for kids a relief for parents
Parents tired of worrying about classroom outbreaks and sick of telling their elementary school-age children no to sleepovers and family gatherings felt a wave of relief Thursday, Oct. 7, when Pfizer asked the U.S. government to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for youngsters ages 5 to 11.
NJ leaders take on ‘Mayors Vaccine Challenge’
Two New Jersey mayors are going head-to-head in an effort to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19. It’s all part of the ongoing vaccination campaign in the Garden State that has already propelled it as one of the nation’s leaders in the fight against COVID-19. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is squaring off with Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora in what the state is calling the “Mayors Vaccine Challenge.”
New Jersey surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases
As of Tuesday, Sept. 28, more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in New Jersey since the pandemic reached the state in 2020.
Pfizer submits vaccine data on kids to FDA
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE announced they have submitted initial data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the Phase 2/3 trial of their COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11.
In the trial, which included 2,268 participants 5 to 11 years of age, the vaccine demonstrated a favorable safety profile and elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses using a two-dose regimen of 10 μg doses.
NJ offers $500 ‘return to work bonus’ to unemployed residents
Unemployed New Jersey residents could earn a $500 bonus to return to the workforce as part of a new program announced by Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday, Sept. 27. The “Return and Earn” initiative will offer the one-time bonus to folks who secure a job through the program, including positions that require on-the-job training.
CDC director overrules panel, backs booster for all adults in high-risk jobs
The panel had voted against saying that people ages 18 to 64 can get a booster if they are health-care workers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.
FDA OKs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for 65 and older, high-risk Americans
The FDA authorized booster doses for Americans who are 65 and older, younger people with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high-risk for COVID-19. The ruling represents a drastically scaled back version of the Biden administration’s sweeping plan to give third doses to nearly all American adults to shore up their protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.
J&J booster shot 94% effective 2 months after 1st dose
Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday, Sept. 21, said new data shows a second dose — or a booster shot — of their one-shot COVID vaccine was found to be 94% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 when given two months after the initial dose.
Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine works in kids ages 5 to 11
Pfizer said Monday, Sept. 20, its COVID-19 vaccine works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will seek U.S. authorization for this age group soon — a key step toward beginning vaccinations for youngsters.
Vaccine mandate for child care facilities
Gov. Phil Murphy said all child care workers and facility employees need to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1 or face regular weekly testing. As of Sept. 24, all employees, students and children in a facility’s care ages two and up will need to wear masks indoors, with limited exceptions.
Moderna vaccine is most effective against hospitalization from COVID-19: study
A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared how effective each of the three COVID-19 vaccines are in preventing hospitalization from the virus. The CDC reported that effectiveness was higher for the Moderna vaccine (93%) than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (88%) and the J&J vaccine (71%).
New Jersey surpassed as state with highest rate of COVID deaths
Mississippi has surpassed New Jersey as the state with the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., with roughly 1 of every 320 Mississippians having succumbed to the coronavirus.
COVID-19 is ‘getting better’ at becoming airborne virus
Recent COVID-19 variants are much more adept at airborne transmission than the original version of the coronavirus, according to a new study. University of Maryland researchers analyzed the Alpha variant first identified in the United Kingdom and discovered that carriers breathe out 43 to 100 times more infectious viral aerosols than those infected with the original strain.
COVID-19 variants significantly reduce protection of vaccines, prior infection: study
A new study confirms that vaccinations and even prior COVID-19 infection provide significantly less protection against newer variants. Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University say in order to protect against the Alpha, Beta, and now Delta variants, these findings stress the importance of doubling down on both vaccinations and public health measures during the pandemic.
Mask debate moves from school boards to courtrooms
The rancorous debate over whether returning students should wear masks in the classroom has moved from school boards to courtrooms. In at least 14 states, lawsuits have been filed either for or against masks in schools. In some cases, normally rule-enforcing school administrators are finding themselves fighting state leaders in the name of keeping kids safe.
Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. New Jersey’s statewide rent moratorium expires at the end of the year.
These foods are extra hard to find right now because of shortages, supply chain issues
Notice your grocery store shelves looking a little bare lately? You’re definitely not the only one. Supply chain issues have created shortages of highly specific ingredients.
‘It’s up to us’: Fauci says pandemic could possibly end by spring 2022
The nation’s top infectious disease expert believes the pandemic’s end is near as long as the U.S. follows the right protocols to contain COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci said he sees the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s only open if the country’s 80 million to 90 million unvaccinated people are convinced to get the shot.
Comirnaty: What’s the story behind the new Pfizer vaccine name?
Comirnaty, who? It’s the same exact mRNA vaccine Pfizer has been producing through the emergency use authorization, but now it’s being marketed under a new name.
Is an earache a new COVID-19 symptom?
Doctors say they’re seeing a new COVID-19 symptom in some patients. According to experts, an earache has been reported more frequently by those testing positive for COVID. Earaches can cause pain, a feeling of blockage and sometimes muffled hearing.
Johnson & Johnson: Vaccine booster provides ‘rapid, robust’ response
Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday, Aug. 25, announced new data the company said supports the use of its COVID vaccine as a booster shot for people previously vaccinated with their single-shot vaccine.
J&J said the new data showed that a booster shot of their vaccine generated a “rapid and robust increase in spike-binding antibodies, nine-fold higher than 28 days after the primary single-dose vaccination.”
NJ to require teachers, state workers be fully vaccinated
All school personnel and state workers in New Jersey will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday, Aug. 23.
Will COVID booster shot have the same side effects as the first two shots?
The Biden administration said Wednesday, Aug. 18, that COVID booster shots will soon be available, but how will the Sept. 20 rollout work, and what side effects should Americans expect?
Lambda and B.1.621: New COVID variants could be the worst yet, doctor warns
At least two new COVID-19 variants have hit the United States and they could be worse than the delta variant in their infectiousness and ability to stand up to vaccines, according to a top medical authority.
U.S. health officials call for booster shots for all to battle COVID-19
U.S. health officials recommended all Americans get COVID-19 booster shots to shore up their protection amid the surging delta variant and evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness is falling. The announcement was made on Aug. 18.
Schumer calls for federal crackdown on fake vaccine cards
COVID claims more young victims as deaths climb yet again
The COVID-19 death toll has started soaring again as the delta variant tears through the nation’s unvaccinated population and fills up hospitals with patients, many of whom are younger than during earlier phases of the pandemic.
Concerts, outdoor events still risky as delta variant surges, experts say
Concerts and outdoor events are returning, and many are requiring proof of vaccination as part of new safety protocols designed to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. But while experts say being outdoors is less risky in general, they continue to recommend additional precautions for those visiting crowded outdoor venues.
Biden weighs stiffer vaccine rules as delta variant spreads rapidly across U.S.
When the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. first began to slow, President Joe Biden backed incentives like million-dollar cash lotteries if that’s what it took to get shots in arms. But as new COVID infections soar, he’s testing a tougher approach.
Who doesn’t need the COVID-19 vaccine?
It has been eight months since the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to health care workers nationwide. Since then, the vaccine has become available to anyone ages 5 and older. Experts explain the few instances in which a person would not qualify for, or should delay getting vaccinated.
Extra COVID shot OK’d for immunocompromised individuals
With more than 600 colleges and universities now requiring proof of COVID-19 inoculations, an online industry has sprung up offering fake vaccine cards.
What to do if you lose your COVID-19 vaccine card
Don’t worry if you’ve lost your COVID-19 vaccine card, there are several ways you can get it replaced. No matter where you got your shots, getting a replacement card is possible.
Will NJ reinstate a travel advisory?
Gov. Murphy said on Aug. 9, a new travel advisory is not off the table, but for now he encouraged mask wearing, which is mandatory in all airports and on flights, and other COVID safety protocols. “You gotta use your head,” he added.
Will NJ mandate masks indoors?
Despite CDC data showing New Jersey falls under its guidance to wear masks indoors, Gov. Murphy said he will not yet mandate face coverings but added, “we leave all options on the table.”
COVID transmission levels call for indoor masking under CDC guidelines
Indoor masking is advised in areas with COVID transmission rates considered “substantial” or “high” under recently updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Aug. 8, all of New Jersey falls under those categories.
How do you know if you have the delta variant of COVID-19?
So you’ve tested positive for COVID – but which COVID exactly? Is there a way to tell if you have the highly transmissible delta variant? There is a way to tell, but there’s not really a way for you to tell.
COVID breakthrough cases: Is one vaccine better than others?
Are kids more vulnerable to the delta variant of COVID-19?
Hospitals around the United States, especially in the South, are starting to fill back up again as the delta variant tears though the country. With previous waves of infection, we’ve been most worried about the elderly being vulnerable. Now, it’s younger people – even children – starting to show up in hospital beds.
NJ schools mask mandate: Teachers’ union backs, Republicans slam Murphy decision
New Jersey Republicans have largely trashed Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement on Aug 6 that masks will be required in all schools in the upcoming academic year.
NJ health care workers must be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19
Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Aug. 6 mandating that all workers in state and private health care facilities either be vaccinated for COVID-19 or tested for it twice a week.
50% of U.S. population is fully vaccinated, White House says
The United States reached a vaccination milestone on Aug. 6: 50% of the population, all ages, were fully vaccinated, the White House COVID-19 data director confirmed.
CDC says people who’ve had COVID should get shot or risk reinfection
Even people who have recovered from COVID-19 are urged to get vaccinated, especially as the extra-contagious delta variant surges — and a new study shows survivors who ignored that advice were more than twice as likely to get reinfected.
The latest surge in COVID-19 infections is fueled by the highly contagious delta variant first identified in India late last year. Now, a variation of that variant is beginning to generate headlines. Here’s what we know about the COVID sub-strain being called delta plus.
Vaccine mandate for state colleges?
Currently, some state colleges in New Jersey are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff and some have made it optional. Murphy said a universal mandate “is certainly an option,” but for now individual universities can make their own call.
More ‘pain and suffering’ ahead as COVID cases rise, Fauci says
Dr. Anthony Fauci warned on Aug. 1 that more “pain and suffering” is on the horizon as COVID-19 cases climb again and officials plead with unvaccinated Americans to get their shots.
Walmart requiring COVID vaccination, masks for many employees
Walmart associates who work in multiple facilities, and associates of its campus office, needed to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. Walmart also required associates, including those fully vaccinated, to wear masks in its stores.
Iconic NJ restaurant The Fireplace closes after 65 years
The Fireplace, like many other restaurants across the country, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and temporarily shuttered its doors before reopening in May, when they implemented drive-thru, takeout and curbside pickup followed by indoor dining in October.
New delta variant research makes strong case for vaccination
A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized the delta variant is more dangerous and fast-spreading than first thought. The findings also made clear why efforts to get more people vaccinated are vital.
CDC data shows delta variant spreads as easily as chickenpox
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new information on July 30, saying the coronavirus delta variant can spread as easily as chickenpox.
Pfizer: COVID vaccine protective for at least 6 months
The effectiveness of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine wanes slightly over time but it remains strongly protective for at least six months after the second dose, according to company data released on July 28.
Disney World requires masks indoors regardless of vaccination status
Beginning July 30, Disney World required all visitors ages 2 and older to wear a face covering while indoors as well as in Disney buses, the monorail and the Disney Skyliner, regardless of vaccination status.
CDC mask guidance: Vaccinated people should wear face coverings in public indoor settings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
U.S. headed in ‘wrong direction’ on COVID-19, Fauci says
Is asking about someone’s COVID vaccine status a HIPAA violation?
HIPAA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 during a time when medical records were being computerized. It was created to simplify the administration of health insurance and to prevent unauthorized access to peoples’ medical histories.
In fact, HIPAA doesn’t block anyone from asking another person about their health status, according to Alan Meisel, law professor and bioethics expert at the University of Pittsburgh.
Child tax credit checks: Will they become permanent?
The parents of an estimated 60 million American children began receiving child tax credit payments from the IRS in mid-July in a move expected to lift millions of families above the poverty baseline for the remainder of 2021. Should they become permanent?
‘Pandemic of the unvaccinated’
President Joe Biden was forced to confront the worrying reality of rising cases and deaths — and the limitations of his ability to combat the persistent vaccine hesitance responsible for a summer backslide.
Common cholesterol drugs may significantly reduce risk of death from COVID-19: study
Statins, a common medication for lowering cholesterol, may be saving lives among patients with COVID-19. A study revealed hospitalized coronavirus patients who took statins were much less likely to die from the illness.
WHO chief says it was ‘premature’ to rule out COVID lab leak
The head of the World Health Organization acknowledged on July 15, 2021, that it was premature to rule out a potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory leak.
Wildfire smoke linked to increased COVID-19 risk, study says
A study released in July 2021 suggested that exposure to wildfire smoke is linked to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
Global COVID-19 deaths hit 4 million amid rush to vaccinate
The global death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 4 million on July 7, 2021, as the crisis increasingly became a race between the vaccine and the highly contagious delta variant.
Unvaccinated made up 99% of US COVID deaths in July 2021
There’s more to the worker shortage than pandemic unemployment, experts say
The workforce shortage is a combination of several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a shift in the economy, and changes in the workforce demographics, experts say.
Latest official indicators
As of Tuesday, there have been 1,938,518 total positive PCR tests in the state since March 2020, and there have been 30,373 lab-confirmed COVID-19 deaths, according to the state Health Department.
The 2022 Succeed2gether Montclair Literary Festival, which scaled back during the pandemic, returns May 5-9, with more than 70 authors discussing their work in dozens of (mostly) free events for adults and children.
Only three discussions require a ticket purchase. One is a talk between Jennifer Egan, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of “The Candy House,” a sibling novel to her best-selling “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” and author Garth Risk Hallberg. A second is poet and Pulitzer-Prize finalist Elizabeth Alexander in discussion with feminist author and scholar Salamishah Tillet about her new book “The Trayvon Generation.” Finally, crime writer and political activist Don Winslow will talk about “City on Fire,” the first in his new crime fiction series, with CBS news correspondent Jim Axelrod.
Many free events also feature bestselling authors. Anna Quindlen reflects on how and why we should write, based on her new book “Write for Your Life,” in a talk moderated by author Elisabeth Egan, an editor at the New York Times Book Review.
Joyce Carol Oates and writers Megan Abbott and Jonathan Santlofer will explain their approach to the mystery/suspense genre.
Three New York Times bestselling authors — Fiona Davis, Heather Webb and Helen Wan — will discuss the role Manhattan plays in their fiction, in a panel moderated by Laurie Lico Albanese, author of the novels “Stolen Beauty” and the upcoming “Hester.”
One discussion, titled “Authors and the Books That Made Them Writers,” features Pamela Eres, Robin Black and Steve Yarbrough describing how their favorite books (“Middlemarch,” “Mrs. Dalloway” and “The Last Picture Show”) influence their writing. Moderator is New Yorker staff writer D.T. Max.
There are several interactive events for children. Sabina Wasonga-Gitau will tell stories interwoven with song and chants in the Swahili language accompanied by musician Samit Mulondo playing traditional East African instruments.
Children’s author Zibby Owens will read her new book “Princess Charming” and Victoria Kann will read one of her latest Pinkalicious books, “Rubylicious.” After the readings, children can draw with the authors. Prize-winning author Cat Min will read her book “Shy Willow” and help children make bookmarks.
For children ages 7 to12, the author of the Mr. Lemoncello series will speak about his books, and author-illustrators Jason Patterson and Dan Abdo will talk about their “very funny” graphic novel “Barb and the Ghost Blade,” and afterward, work with kids on a silly craft project.
Fittingly for Mother’s Day weekend, Emmy-award-winning journalist, congresswoman and adoptive mother of 11 Marjorie Margolies will speak about her memoir, “And How Are the Children?” along with her son Vu Pham and New York Times journalist and author Kate Zernike.
Sports fans can listen to former CBS staff writer Rich Podolsky, author of “You Are Looking Live!”, deconstruct how the 1975 show “The NFL Today” changed the way America watched football, moderated by author and Wall Street Journal sports reporter Ben Cohen. On another panel, New York Times best-selling author Kostya Kennedy will talk about his new biograhy of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
Four popular Latinx writers — Cleyvis Natera, Elisabet Velazquez, Rio Cortez and Saraciea Fennell — discuss the representation of Latin voices in the literary landscape with Angela Abreu, founder of the Dominican Writers Association.
And “Pitchapalooza” returns, with writers giving 60-second book pitches to Montclair book doctors David Henry Sterry and Arielle Eckstut and the winner receiving an introduction to an agent or publisher.
Online events include author Katherine Heiny (“Standard Deviation” and “Single Carefree, Mellow”) in conversation with Kate Tuttle of The Boston Globe about Heiny’s new novel “Early Morning Riser.” There is also an online panel on Italian cooking and culture with mother-daughter duo Sophie Minchilli, author of “The Sweetness of Doing Nothing” and Elizabeth Minchilli, author of nine books, including “Eating My Way Through Italy,” and founder of the Eat Italy app. The panel is moderated by Mark Rotella, director of the Coccia Institute at MSU.
For a fee, festival-goers can even rub elbows with authors at a cocktail party on Saturday night, and support Succeed2gether’s work providing tutoring and other services to low-income students.
There will be a poetry cafe, a poetry panel, and a discussion of the history and experiences of oppression of Asian and Black Americans presented in conjunction with the AAPI Coalition of Essex County.
Short story writers Leigh Newman and Halimah Marcus will discuss that genre, along with essay-writing, in a panel moderated by Montclair’s Alice Eliot Dark, whose novel “Fellowship Point” comes out this summer.
Non-fiction panels include “Addiction and Accountability” with Evan Hughes (“The Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Start-Up”) and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (“Under the Same Roof: A Son’s Battle for Recovery, a Mother’s Battle for Her Son”), led by New York Times health reporter Jan Hoffman. A panel on how to transform our criminal justice system, featuring advocates and authors, is co-sponsored by MSU. Authors Andrew Rice and Gal Beckerman will address thought-provoking question about social movements like Black Lives Matter with Andy Rosenthal, former New York Times editorial page editor.
Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, will discuss his new book “The Age of the Strongman” and how leaders from Trump to Bolsonaro threaten democracy, with Bloomberg Opinion columnist and MSNBC/NBC political analyst Tim O’Brien.
Proceeds from all events benefit Succeed2gether, a Montclair-based non-profit that addresses unequal access to educational resources for low-income families and children from Montclair and Essex County, New Jersey.
Attendees are encouraged to support the writers, and local businesses, by purchasing their books through Watchung Booksellers.
Events will be held at the First Congregational Church, the Montclair Library and the Montclair Unitarian Universalist Church. All CDC protocols for COVID-19 will be followed.
Julia Martin is the 2021 recipient of the New Jersey Society for Professional Journalists’ David Carr award for her coverage of Montclair for NorthJersey.com.
For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
The 2022 Succeed2gether Montclair Literary Festival, which scaled back during the pandemic, returns May 5-9, with more than 70 authors discussing their work in dozens of (mostly) free events for adults and children.
Only three discussions require a ticket purchase. One is a talk between Jennifer Egan, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of “The Candy House,” a sibling novel to her best-selling “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” and author Garth Risk Hallberg. A second is poet and Pulitzer-Prize finalist Elizabeth Alexander in discussion with feminist author and scholar Salamishah Tillet about her new book “The Trayvon Generation.” Finally, crime writer and political activist Don Winslow will talk about “City on Fire,” the first in his new crime fiction series, with CBS news correspondent Jim Axelrod.
Many free events also feature bestselling authors. Anna Quindlen reflects on how and why we should write, based on her new book “Write for Your Life,” in a talk moderated by author Elisabeth Egan, an editor at the New York Times Book Review.
Joyce Carol Oates and writers Megan Abbott and Jonathan Santlofer will explain their approach to the mystery/suspense genre.
Three New York Times bestselling authors — Fiona Davis, Heather Webb and Helen Wan — will discuss the role Manhattan plays in their fiction, in a panel moderated by Laurie Lico Albanese, author of the novels “Stolen Beauty” and the upcoming “Hester.”
One discussion, titled “Authors and the Books That Made Them Writers,” features Pamela Eres, Robin Black and Steve Yarbrough describing how their favorite books (“Middlemarch,” “Mrs. Dalloway” and “The Last Picture Show”) influence their writing. Moderator is New Yorker staff writer D.T. Max.
There are several interactive events for children. Sabina Wasonga-Gitau will tell stories interwoven with song and chants in the Swahili language accompanied by musician Samit Mulondo playing traditional East African instruments.
Children’s author Zibby Owens will read her new book “Princess Charming” and Victoria Kann will read one of her latest Pinkalicious books, “Rubylicious.” After the readings, children can draw with the authors. Prize-winning author Cat Min will read her book “Shy Willow” and help children make bookmarks.
For children ages 7 to12, the author of the Mr. Lemoncello series will speak about his books, and author-illustrators Jason Patterson and Dan Abdo will talk about their “very funny” graphic novel “Barb and the Ghost Blade,” and afterward, work with kids on a silly craft project.
Fittingly for Mother’s Day weekend, Emmy-award-winning journalist, congresswoman and adoptive mother of 11 Marjorie Margolies will speak about her memoir, “And How Are the Children?” along with her son Vu Pham and New York Times journalist and author Kate Zernike.
Sports fans can listen to former CBS staff writer Rich Podolsky, author of “You Are Looking Live!”, deconstruct how the 1975 show “The NFL Today” changed the way America watched football, moderated by author and Wall Street Journal sports reporter Ben Cohen. On another panel, New York Times best-selling author Kostya Kennedy will talk about his new biograhy of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
Four popular Latinx writers — Cleyvis Natera, Elisabet Velazquez, Rio Cortez and Saraciea Fennell — discuss the representation of Latin voices in the literary landscape with Angela Abreu, founder of the Dominican Writers Association.
And “Pitchapalooza” returns, with writers giving 60-second book pitches to Montclair book doctors David Henry Sterry and Arielle Eckstut and the winner receiving an introduction to an agent or publisher.
Online events include author Katherine Heiny (“Standard Deviation” and “Single Carefree, Mellow”) in conversation with Kate Tuttle of The Boston Globe about Heiny’s new novel “Early Morning Riser.” There is also an online panel on Italian cooking and culture with mother-daughter duo Sophie Minchilli, author of “The Sweetness of Doing Nothing” and Elizabeth Minchilli, author of nine books, including “Eating My Way Through Italy,” and founder of the Eat Italy app. The panel is moderated by Mark Rotella, director of the Coccia Institute at MSU.
For a fee, festival-goers can even rub elbows with authors at a cocktail party on Saturday night, and support Succeed2gether’s work providing tutoring and other services to low-income students.
There will be a poetry cafe, a poetry panel, and a discussion of the history and experiences of oppression of Asian and Black Americans presented in conjunction with the AAPI Coalition of Essex County.
Short story writers Leigh Newman and Halimah Marcus will discuss that genre, along with essay-writing, in a panel moderated by Montclair’s Alice Elliott Dark, whose novel “Fellowship Point” comes out this summer.
Non-fiction panels include “Addiction and Accountability” with Evan Hughes (“The Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Start-Up”) and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (“Under the Same Roof: A Son’s Battle for Recovery, a Mother’s Battle for Her Son”), led by New York Times health reporter Jan Hoffman. A panel on how to transform our criminal justice system, featuring advocates and authors, is co-sponsored by MSU. Authors Andrew Rice and Gal Beckerman will address thought-provoking question about social movements like Black Lives Matter with Andy Rosenthal, former New York Times editorial page editor.
Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, will discuss his new book “The Age of the Strongman” and how leaders from Trump to Bolsonaro threaten democracy, with Bloomberg Opinion columnist and MSNBC/NBC political analyst Tim O’Brien.
Proceeds from all events benefit Succeed2gether, a Montclair-based non-profit that addresses unequal access to educational resources for low-income families and children from Montclair and Essex County, New Jersey.
Attendees are encouraged to support the writers, and local businesses, by purchasing their books through Watchung Booksellers.
Events will be held at the First Congregational Church, the Montclair Library and the Montclair Unitarian Universalist Church. All CDC protocols for COVID-19 will be followed.
Julia Martin is the 2021 recipient of the New Jersey Society for Professional Journalists’ David Carr award for her coverage of Montclair for NorthJersey.com.
For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
The statewide cumulative COVID-19 count stands at 1,938,518 cases and 30,373 confirmed fatalities (and 310,441 probable cases and 3,034 probable fatalities) as of Tuesday (an increase of 1,741 confirmed cases, 737 probable cases, 15 lab-confirmed fatalities, and 4 hospital-reported fatalities from the previous day). The viral transmission rate is 1.09. There are 468 total hospitalizations, with 52 in intensive care units, and 74 discharges in the past day. There are 6,862,642 people fully vaccinated.
The Murphy Administration announced nearly $12.8M in federal funding for the LIHEAP home energy assistance program.
Governor Murphy and Orsted hosted an expert panel highlighting renewable energy projects.
The NJEDA and Irish Centre For Maternal And Child Health Research established a global partnership to advance First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Nurture NJ initiative.
The NJDMAVA announced a MOU with UPenn to provide additional mental health care resources for veterans and military members and their families.
Thousands are awaiting justice as the state grapples with a record number of judicial vacancies, according to NJ.com.
Hate crimes against Jews hit a record level in the state last year, according to NJ.com.
Rowan College at Burlington County joined the county’s stigma-free initiative.
Brookdale Community College adjuncts say they want more money and want it faster, according to the Asbury Park Press.
Anti-Semitic incidents targeted a Rutgers Jewish fraternity, according to MyCentralJersey.
A WalletHub study ranks New Jersey as the nation’s 7th-most gambling addicted state.
In Newark, Ironbound residents and environmental activists are pushing back against a plan to build a gas-powered generator. East Ward council candidate Michael Silva released his second ad of the campaign. Candidate Weber’s history of force as a police officer is raising concerns, according to NJ.com. Queen Latifah returned to the city to address affordable housing, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Paterson, the Education Association’s PAC made endorsements in the mayoral and council elections. Residents are suing to block a 171-unit apartment building, according to Paterson Press. Activist Ernie Rucker endorsed Councilman Mendez for mayor, according to Paterson Press.
In Highland Park, a new ‘welcoming’ mural was installed downtown.
In Atlantic City, the budget relies on surplus spending and fewer capital projects, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Bayonne, the city settled a federal whistleblower case for $125k, according to Hudson County View. Thirteen candidates are running for council seats, according to the Jersey Journal.
In Bernards, a hearing was held on the $43.9M budget, according to TAPinto. Sex education revisions are under review, according to NJ Hills.
In Bernardsville, the council met in-person for the first time in two years, according to TAPinto.
In Bloomfield, off-duty police marijuana use sparked debate at a council meeting, according to TAPinto.
In Bordentown, Chief Pesce was charged in a drunken crash in Hamilton, according to the Trentonian.
In Brick, the town is trying to sell the old Laurelton school again, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Camden, a $2.3M project will improve 7th Street, according to the Courier Post.
In Clifton, the city buried a centennial time capsule, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Denville, the town is addressing problems with water leaks and sinkholes, according to NJ Hills.
In Florham Park, a $23M budget with a 1.9% tax increase was adopted, according to NJ Hills.
In Livingston, the town declared ‘Don Schwartz Day’ in honor of a local volunteer, according to TAPinto.
In Long Hill, a reimbursement denial sparked a financial protocol debate, according to NJ Hills.
In Margate, the rehabilitation of ‘Lucy the Elephant’ will take longer than expected, according to Downbeach.
In Morristown, the BOE adopted a $138M budget that raises taxes, according to Morristown Green.
In Newton, new parking fees were introduced for town lots, according to NJ Herald.
In Ocean City, anonymous flyers are riling a candidate, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Hartzell and Gillian are facing off in the mayoral race, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In South Orange, gas leafblowers are banned May through September, according to TAPinto.
In Toms River, ‘Downtown Night Out’ outdoor dining is returning, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Trenton, Council President McBride won’t budge on the school district budget, according to the Trentonian.
In Warren Township, GOP leaders are silent on a committee race and apparent rift in the local party, according to NJ Hills.
In Wayne, the township is selling land to Passaic County for road improvement, according to TAPinto.
In Woodland Park, the town told employees that marijuana use could lead to termination, according to NorthJersey.
In Woolwich, the township got a developer for the old Army defense base, according to the Courier Post.
Three New Jersey cities have been listed among the 100 most dangerous in America. The three that made the list are Camden, Trenton, and Paterson. The list was compiled by neighborhoodscout.com, a real estate analytics website.
In the New Jersey Hospital Association‘s 2022 annual Economic Impact Report, New Jersey hospitals contributed $27.8 billion in direct economic activity in the 2020 pandemic year, which is an increase of $1.7 billion compared to 2019. However, the total infusion to the state economy swells to $62 billion as hospital spending supports other industries, fuels job growth and creates business for Main Streets across New Jersey.
Friends of the Earth Action endorsed David Ocampo Grajales and Imani Oakley for Congress in the 8th and 10th congressional district, respectively, today.
The state’s newly legal cannabis market is expected to bring in millions — if not billions — of dollars once fully operating. New Jersey is now the 18th state to allow the sale of recreational cannabis. But because the sale of recreational pot is still illegal on the federal level, most banks are waiting for the regulatory environment to clear up before dealing with the industry.
Dion Marsh had a clean record before his alleged spree of violence and terror in Lakewood and Jackson earlier this month, according to testimony Tuesday during Marsh’s detention hearing.
New Jersey health officials appeared before state lawmakers Monday to highlight plans for investing billions in the state’s health care system. But some Republican lawmakers primarily used the opportunity to relitigate familiar COVID-19 complaints around lockdowns, masking and vaccination requirements.
In New Jersey — in most situations — you are what you say you are. If you are thought of as a man but believe you are a woman, or vice versa, you can get your driver’s license or birth certificate changed to show the gender you prefer or to show none at all.
When people see me coming down the House floor or arriving at a public event, the first thing they often notice is the hard plastic boot around my right foot. That boot isn’t a fashion statement — it’s a result of the toll that diabetes has taken on my body as I fight a diabetic ulcer. And it’s a constant reminder of what I’m fighting for every day in Congress.
One of the great things about New Jersey is that it is not Florida, so we don’t have to spend much time thinking about Gov. Ron DeSantis, a bully whose latest gambit is to target gay and transgender kids for political gain.
I am the father of three boys — ages six, four, and two. And holy guacamole — all of a sudden, our lives have become insanely busy this spring. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wind down, social activities are clearly ramping back up. Just this week alone, we have two Little League baseball games, two baseball practices, two scouting events, three after-school events, and two church events on the calendar.
If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it’s that there’s no such thing as being too prepared. We fell well short of being ready confront the public health emergency, but investment in public health also has long been inadequate for dealing with challenges like persistently high rates of diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Working as a travel nurse at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold Township gave Deirdre Spina the flexibility she wanted to shuttle between her home in Florida and her family in New Jersey. The job also paid her well. Really well.
NJ Senate Majority Leader Ruiz and Assemblywoman McKnight are championing reforms addressing racial and socio-economic inequities that trap many families in deep poverty.
Trenton—Consumer, immigrant and labor advocates gathered today for a press conference calling for the passage of S1642/A3324, which would revise and expand the Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) program, also known as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). They were joined New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Tersea M. Ruiz and Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight, who along with Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake are the bill’s primary sponsors.
WFNJ/TANF serves as a vital safety net for families who have fallen on hard times. But since its inception the program has been shrinking. WFNJ has seen a 91% decline in enrollment between 1996-2022, while many working families, in particular families of color, have remained trapped in an unending cycle of poverty.
The proposed legislation expands eligibility for the program to ensure badly-needed support reaches New Jersey’s neediest families. It also provides those families with the opportunities and tools they require to lift themselves out of poverty and achieve economic security.
“These changes will make Work First New Jersey more accessible and allow it to better serve our most vulnerable residents,” said Senate Majority Leader Ruiz (D-Essex). “The reforms provide a greater understanding of the realities of working families, offering greater flexibility for families with young children at home and individuals interested in earning a degree. I appreciate everyone coming together to highlight this important measure which I am hopeful will provide much-needed relief to many in our communities.”
“By meeting families where they are and delivering much needed support to those who are struggling, we can make a significant difference in the lives of our residents,” said Assemblywoman Angela McKnight (D-Hudson). “The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program offers low-income families the opportunity to become self-sufficient and financially secure by giving them the support they need to overcome socio-economic inequities. I am proud to support legislation that provides New Jersey’s families with the assistance they need to build a better and brighter future.”
“The state’s premier anti-poverty program is not set up to help residents escape the cycle of poverty,” said Brittany Holom-Trundy, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “Fewer than one in six families living in poverty are supported by Work First New Jersey, and even those who receive assistance do not get enough to make ends meet. In one of the wealthiest states in the wealthiest nation on Earth, poverty is a policy choice — we can and must do better. State lawmakers can help families get the support they need by increasing benefit levels to reflect New Jersey’s cost of living, providing residents with meaningful work and educational opportunities, and removing needless barriers to resources.”
“TANF was created under long-standing racist and harmful ideas about families in deep poverty by instituting punitive measures within the program that harm families, especially families of color,’ said Renee Koubiadis Anti-Poverty Program Director at New Jersey Citizen Action. “After 26 years of data and research and with the state flush with surplus and federal funding, there is no better time to improve this program,”“ By increasing the monthly grant to reach families up to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level, improving education and training for decent paying jobs, and many other positive changes, S1642/A3324 would provide sufficient supports to put families on a path to permanent self-sufficiency.”
Governor Murphy and the State Legislature have increased monthly benefits for the program and made other improvements, but more reforms are needed to address the racial and socio-economic inequities that keep families mired in deep poverty. Currently, benefits are available to families living at or below 30 percent of the federal poverty level. Under S1642/A3324, benefits would be increased up to 50 percent of the federal poverty level, for example, to support a family of three with an annual income of $11,515.
The legislation would also ease the hourly work requirements for families, particularly for families of very young children, while providing parents with the opportunities, skills, and training they need for real economic mobility. These vital reforms will provide a clear path to family-sustaining employment and economic security and prosperity.
“It will take a long time to undo the past harms and sentiments that birthed TANF’s punitive restrictions, but the State can take action right now to disrupt that history,” said Amy Torres, Executive Director for New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. “We are a state where nearly one in four residents is an immigrant, where one in two people is a person of Color, and where over 40% of children live in an immigrant household. Failure to ease restrictions on TANF is the definition of systemic racism — a cruel and intentional policy choice that traps families in cycles of poverty for generations.”
“I’ve worked with TANF recipients for over 22 years and have watched the program fail our families, keeping them in poverty,” said Tyniquah Mullen, Communications Worker of America Local 1084, Secretary and Human Services Specialist at Camden County Board of Social Services. “Workers at welfare agencies want to see our clients succeed and believe that the proposed legislation will bring this much needed change to lead families to permanent self-sufficiency.”
“Legal Services has worked with thousands of families in need of critical services and support from the Work First New Jersey Program,” said Maura Sanders, Chief Counsel for Housing and Benefits for Legal Services of New Jersey. “We have seen the hardships families in crisis face—the unnecessary roadblocks to assistance within the current program, and need for improvement. While the need for most of these changes existed long before the pandemic, the health and economic hardships over the past two years have highlighted the urgent need for many of the program improvements included in the proposed legislation.”
“New Jersey’s community colleges play an important role in providing opportunity to all New Jerseyans so that they can get on, stay on, and complete their paths to post-secondary credentials that lead to economic mobility,” said Jacob Farbman, Ed.D., APR, Executive Director, New Jersey Center for Student Success at the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. “This legislation will allow community college students in need to qualify for public assistance, which will help those students pay for rent, childcare, food, transportation, and other basic needs that will enable them to earn degrees and credentials and obtain family-supporting jobs and careers.”
“People on TANF are being helped, but they have to deal with limitations, with expiration dates, and picking up the scraps where they can,” said Alina McKnight of Newark, a former TANF recipient who also held a job in workforce development assisting TANF recipients. “Without these reforms, people will need to rely on friends and family for help, will continue to get rejected from or miss opportunities. People will continue to settle for much less than they should and New Jersey can do so much better.”
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities also voiced its support for the legislation, stating that “States can and should move their TANF work programs in an antiracist direction, aimed at respecting parents’ choices, treating families with dignity and respect, and investing in families to help them realize their full potential.”
S1642/A3324 has been referred to the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee and the Assembly Human Services Committee.
